Improved peocess to be used ik the manufactuee of glass, soluble silicates



- @gnitrh tetra gaunt @ffirz.

WILLIAM R. STAGE AND HAYDN M. BAKER,'OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORSTO THEMSELVES, JOHN A. WORR-ISON, SEWARD F. GOULD, AND JOSEPH EASTWOOD.

Letters Patent No. 68,254, dated August 27, 18,67.

I IMPROVED PROCESS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLASS, SOLUBLESILIGATES, HYDROGHLORIG ACID, AND BLEAGHING-POWDERS.

tits grlgetult ttfttttlt in in time fittttttt sac ant mating mat at thesame.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM R. STAGE and HAYDN M. BAKER, of Rochester,county of Monroe, State of' New York, have invented new-and usefulProcesses for the Manufacture of Glass, Soluble Silicate of Soda,HydrochloricAcid, and Bleaching-Powders, (chloride of lime,) which weverily believe has not before been known or used, and that the followingis a full and exact description thereof.

The natureot' our'inveution consists in .the decomposition of chlorideof sodium with the vapors of water at elevated temperatures in thepresence of silicic acid in clay retorts.

When; vapors of water are'used, the products formed will be silicate ofsoda and hydrochloric acid. When sand and chloride of sodium are chargedinto the retort, and atmospheric air, which has been previously heated(or superheated) is made to pass through the mixture, the products willbe silicate of'soda, chlorine and nitrogen gases. The gases are passedthrough a lead-lined chamber, over trays containing hydrated quicklime,the chlorin-e'combining with the lime-forming chloride of lime, whilethe nitrogen passes out into the air.

To enable others skilled in the ohemicart to make use of our invention,we will proceed to describe it in detail.

We first provide ourselves with retorts made of Stourbridge clay, in thesame manner as the pots used in glass manufacture, except that the saidretorts are provided with an outlet at the bottom for discharging, andalso for the admission of a clay pipe, through which the superheatedsteam or air is made to pass into the mixture at the bottom. The outletat the top is used for charging and the admission of a pipe, throughwhich the liberated gases are made to pass on to the condensers. Theseretorts are placed in a furnace or furnaces, built of fire-brick, andcapable of sustaining high temperatures. The temperatures are to beraised very gradually, until the retort has attained a very elevatedtemperature. This is done to avoid breaking or cracking the retort.

When we desire to make glass, we mix the silicic acid (sand) andchloride of sodium (salt) with the acid in excess, or (expressed inchemical language)'the proportions are used whichwill form ator-silicate or quadrosilicate, or any other proportion which will forma perfectly vitreous insoluble silicate.

To make soluble silicate, we mix the silicic acid, or sand, and chlorideof sodium, or salt, in such proportions-as to form a mono-silicate ofsoda, or any proportion necessary to furnish any desired solublesilicate. After the batch is mixed, it is first passed through a millfor the purpose of reducing it to a very fine state of division, toaiford opportunities of intimate contact of the sand with the salt. Thebatch is now charged into the retort, while the same is at as elevated atemperature as practicable. The retort is closed and luted as quickly nspossible, and the batch allowed to remain untilit has acquired anelevated temperature, when steam from the superheater is admitted at ornear the bottom of the retorton the inside, and allowed to pass upthrough the batch and on to the condensing apparatus. When the steam orvapors of water come in contact with the batch, consisting of sand andchloride of sodium, 21. part of the steam is decomposed, the oxygenuniting with the sodium to form soda, and the hydrogen combining withthe chlorine to form hydrochloric acid, which is carried to thecondensing apparatus by the excess of steam, while the sand (silicicacid) unites with the soda, forming silicate of soda. The silicate ofsoda may be withdrawn into water, in which it dissolves, and may be usedfor any industrial purpose for which it is applicable. If theproportions necessary in the formation of glass have been used, then theglass may be worked out, and used in the usual manner.

If we desire to manufacture chlorincrgas' instead of hydrochloric acid,we use heated air in the place of steam. The air furnishes oxygen to thesodiumd'orming soda, while chlorine from the sodium and nitrogen fromthe air, are driven on through the condensing and washing apparatus,thence on through the chambers filled with trays and loaded withhydrated lime. The chlorine is absorbed by the lime, while the nitrogenis allowed to pass out into the atmosphere.

The advantages of this invention are that it furnishes a cheap sourcefor thc alkali soda and the production of hydrochloric acid andbleaching-powders (chloride of lime) and glass.

Claim.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

The application to the manufacture of glass, soliible silicate of soda,bleaehingpowders, and hydrochloric acid of the processes hereindescribed for the decomposition of chloride of sodium with silicic acidand oxygen gas at elevated temperatures, whether said oxygen gas befurnished in the manner herein described, (from steam or air,) or fromchlorate of potash, peroxide of manganese, caustic baryta or any otherof the usual modes.

WILLIAM R. STAGE, HAYDN M. BAKER.

Witnesses:

DE L. CRITTENDEN, E. S YOUNG.

